Icicle melter



P. G. SPILSBURY March l5, 1938.

ICICLE MELTER Filed Sept. 19,- 1956 THERMOJ/l Patented Mar. 15., 1938UNITED STATES ICICLE MELTER Persifor G. Spilsbury, Phoenix, Ariz.,assigno'r to Anaconda Wire & Cable Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Application September 19, 1936, Sirial No.101,583

2 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to means for melting and, therefore, preventingthe retention of icicles .along the overhanging portions of roofstructures.

In northern sections of this country, it is known that damage tobuilding structures and possible injury to persons is likely to resultbecause of the formation of large icicles along the edges of roofs' orgutters on various building structures. One object of the presentinvention is to provide means for preventing the formation of suchicicles or to melt oil the same in the event they should fall. Theinvention will be fully apparent from the following specification whenread in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 exemplifies a flat roofed structure of a masonrytype of building with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is asectional elevation o a frame building showing the application of my invention thereto; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion ofFig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view diagrammatically showing a circuitarrange ment and certain circuit controlling devices; and Fig. 5 is adetailed view oi an'alternative amfbodiment of the invention.

Referring in detail first to Fig. 1,. iii represents an upright. wall ofa building structure and ii the roof portion thereof. A cornice or otheroveru1 hanging element is secured to the roo! in any suitable approvedmanner. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig'. .1, I providea ashing including an upper ilange I3, one ex` tremity of which overlapsthe roof structure and extends under the rooting sheets I4. Thisflashing includes a substantially upright wali i5 and an inwardly .bentportion I6, part of which is bent around, indicated at Il, to form achamber for enclosing a heating element i8.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, the frame building includes anupright wall Ill, roof rafters Il'b carrying roofing boards Iib andshingles' |I. In this case, the upper flange i3 of the sheathing extendsunder the lower course of shingles and the chambered portion Il isformed at the lower extremity of the upright portion it, Extendingobliquely upward from the portion II, there is an extension il* which isnanged downwardly as at i6h for engagement with the side wall.

This chambered portion carries s heating element, indicated at i8. whichissubstantially the same as that shown in the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in Fig. l'.

As shown in Fig. 3, the heating element icon- (Cl. 10S-26) sists of ahigh resistance electrical conductor surrounded by suitable insulatingmaterial I9.

The heating element is adapted to'be energized by current supplied froma suitable source. In the drawing, I have shown positive and negative 5line wires 20 and 2i and a manually operated switch 22 constituting amaster control. The circuit will preferably include a variableresistance indicated at 23. Preferably, I will also include in thecircuit a Athermostat 24 of known construction, which will be effectiveto make or break the circuit through the heating element, whenpredetermined temperatures are reached. In some cases, I also considerit advantageous to provide means which will permit the energization ofthe heating element only'at predetermined time intervals. For example,to this end, I will provide a clock operated switch 25, which may be soset that icicles can be melted only during the evening hours, when it isvery unlikely that there will be persons, in the neighborhood o! thebuilding, who might be hurt by the melting off of the icicles, whichmight form.

From the disclosure, it will be apparent that the device can be sooperated that current will ilow through the heating element at all timeswhen the temperature is below a certain point. The element can be sodesigned that suiilcient heat will be generated to prevent the formationof icicles along the cornice or coping of a building. 30

Or, alternatively, the flow of current to the heating element can becontrolled manually at intermittent times so as to melt oi any icicles,which may have accumulated during the time theelement was not inoperation.

The heating element is preferably enclosed in copper tubing or housing,such as indicated at 26. .Various materials may be used for theiiashing, but I preferably use either copper, brass, or like metalsbecause of their high heat conductivity and relatively low cost andresistance to destruction by the elements;

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated an alternative embodiment oftheinvention-wherein the heating element li8 is mounted in juxtaposition toan 45 ordinary sheet metal gutter 21 mountedin position to receive waterfalling from the roof. It is clear that vwith the heatingelement'juxtaposed to the gutter, as illustrated, the formation of icein the gutter with resultant clogging would be 50 adequately prevented.

While I have described quite specifically the particular embodimentsofthe invention herein illustrated, it is to beunderstood that variousmodiilcations may be made without departure 55 from the` invention asdefined in the appended 4 claims. Y

v/Wh'atlclmlniist f l. A rooi' structure inciudinga yflashing member lformed with a chambered portion at the low point ot the ashing,localizlng the dripping 11nd enclosing a heating element elective toprevent the retention of icicles.

gral enclosure for a heating element effective to prevent the retentiono; icicles.

PERBIFOR G. BPILBBURY.

